14 Oct BIRCHOS KOHANIM – ERETZ YISRAEL & REST OF WORLD

Birchos Kohanim is the
highlight for many of
those living outside of
Eretz Yisrael since it is
done only a few times a
year. In Eretz Yisrael it
is done on a daily basis.
Why is this so? Which
parts of Eretz Yisrael
have the custom not to
do it daily.

This discussion will be addressed in this
article.
Source
The Gemara mentions any kohen which does
not go duchan transgressed three sins. This is
brought in halachah as well.
Daily The obligation for a Kohen to duchan
is for him to do so daily.
Eretz Yisrael
The custom is to duchan daily in Eretz Yisrael.
Other Communities
The Beis Yosef mentions the custom is to
duchan daily in Mitzrayim.
The Ben Ish Chai mentions the custom in
Bagdad was to duchan daily.
The Yosef Ometz mentions a custom to
duchan on Shabbos as well as Yom Tov.
In the different areas of Eretz Yisrael differing
customs persist. In some areas in the north
of Eretz Yisrael there is duchaning only on
Mussaf of Shabbos and Yom Tov and not
during the week, and many have questioned
where this came from.
Some quote that in Tzefas the custom is
to duchan only on Shabbos because of the
bother to the tzibbur.
In Kiryat Arba the custom is to duchan daily.
The custom in Teveryah and Chaifa is to
duchan only on Shabbos at Mussaf.
Some explain the reason why some duchan
only on Shabbos at Mussaf was to compromise
instead of abolishing it and only do it on Yom
Tov, and not to do it daily. On one hand the
communities which do not duchan daily
in Eretz Yisrael would wish to do so since
why should there be a difference between
different cities within Eretz Yisrael, but on
the other then people are afraid to change the
norm in this regard.
Explanation for Some Communities in
Eretz Yisrael
As mentioned above some places in Eretz
Yisrael do not practice what is done in
Yerushalayim and other big cites in Eretz
Yisrael. Some suggest that those cities which
were set up by the students of the Vilna Goan
duchan daily opposed to those set up by
others, and the Sefardim go with the opinion
of the Beis Yosef and duchan daily. Others
feek that there is no adequate reason not to
duchan daily and in the time of the Arizal in
fact duchaning was done daily in Tzefas.
Duchaning Outside Eretz Yisrael – Reasons
for Leniency
Some mention that the reason why the custom

is not to duchan outside Eretz Yisrael daily
is because the Kohanim had the custom to
go to the mikvah before duchaning and the
countries outside of Eretz Yisrael are cold
and the kohanim can not duchan due to the
weather, so therefore the custom came to
duchan only on Yom Tov.
The Beis Yosef comments on this that this is
not a good reason to exempt the duchaning
each days since it going to the mikvah is a
chumra and it does not say anywhere in the
gemara that they have to go before duchaning.
Because of this concern they are causing
themselves to lose out on duchaning and it is
not correct.
The Kol Bo mentions perhaps the reason to
refrain from duchaning daily is because it is a
bother for the tzibbiur.
The Darchei Moshe mentions since the
Kohanim are busy with work and providing
food for their families they are not joyous so
do not duchan during the week. On Shabbos
they are busy thinking about past and future
business and are not really joyous either.
Since on Yom Tov we are joyous as it says
“v’somachta b’chageicha” the custom is to
duchan then.
The Beis Ephraim mentions the reason why
duchaning is limited outside of Eretz Yisrael
is because the status of the Kohen is in doubt
today, if they are real kohanim.
The Magen Avraham mentions that since the
custom outside Eretz Yisrael is to recite the
Ribbono Shel Olam, and we do not recite
personal requests on Shabbos, we do not
duchan on Shabbos, but only on Yom Tov.
(However, this reason does not address why
we don’t say it during the week on a daily
basis).
The Chasam Sofer mentions the reason is
since duchaning is written in the passuk after
mentioned the avodah – korbon. We daven
in place of bringing a korbon and if we do
not have concentration while doing so then
the duchaning will not be pure. Therefore,
during the week when we are busy with out
livelihood it is hard to concentrate on our
tefillos, so duchaning is reserved for Yom
Tov when we are joyous and can concentrate
properly.
The Divrei Yatziv mentions, the Gemara
mentions if one has a dream and does not
know what the dream meant he should say
the ribbon shel olam. During the week and
on Shabbos one can fast if he does not know
what he dreamt, but on Yom Tov when one
has to have simcha, fasting is not an option
so we duchan.
The Custom Outside Eretz Yisrael
The Custom outside Eretz Yisrael is to duchan
only on Yom Tov (three regalim) and only at
Mussaf (except for Simchas Torah see later
on) since it is the end of the tefillah and one is
joyful over Yom Tov.
The practice not to duchan on a daily basis
outside of Eretz Yisrael is a very old custom.
The Beis Ephraim in his times (he lived from
1762-1828) mentions the custom is over 500
years old. The custom stands even if one

comes to a new place outside Eretz Yisrael to
live where there was never a Jewish custom
in this regard.
The custom is only for Ashkenazim outside
of Eretz Yisrael since the Sefardim do have
the custom to duchan daily. If an Ashkenazi
finds himself in that minyan he should duchan
with them.
A kohen who is Ashkenaz should not go
duchan at a Sefardi minyan outside of Eretz
Yisrael, but a Kohen who is from Eretz
Yisrael who finds himself outside of Eretz
Yisrael may do so.
One who does not have the custom to duchan
daily who finds himself in a place which does
in Eretz Yisrael should duchan with them. If
one from Eretz Yisrael is in a place which
does not duchan daily he should duchan with
them on the second day of Yom Tov as well.
The custom of Harav Sholom Shwardon zt”l
when he came from Eretz Yisrael to America
to collect funds, he would go to a Sefardi
minyan where they duchan daily.
Harav Moshe Shternbuch shlit”a when
outside Eretz Yisrael would ask two kohanim
in Eretz Yisrael to have him in mind when
they duchan daily.
When Harav Shteinman zt”l would go outside
Eretz Yisrael he would travel to a shul of
Sefardim which duchan daily as not to lose
out on daily duchaning
Issues With Custom
There are those who mention that the custom
not to duchan daily outside Eretz Yisrael is
really not warranted.
yhuuhhThe Aruch Hashulchan calls it a bad
custom but says it is like a divine voice came
out and said this is how it is that there is no
daily duchaning.
Trying to Duchan Daily but Weren’t
Successful
There have been attempts made to duchan
daily outside of Eretz Yisrael. Most notably
the Gra wished to do so, and the night before
he was going to start it in his shul, he was
taken to jail, and he looked at this as a sign
from Hashem not to go ahead with his plan.
Some tried and the night before it would
be enacted half the city burned down. It
is reported that if the Gra would be able to
enact duchaning every day he would stop his
learning and davening and go from city to city
to enact this.
The Baal Hatanya wanted to change the
custom outside of Eretz Yisrael to a daily
duchan but he was not successful in doing so.
The Custom in Eretz Yisrael
The custom in Eretz Yisrael is to duchan
at Shacharis (during the week, and Yom
Tov) and Mussaf (and at ne’eilah, but not at
Minchah).
Chol Hamoed – Eretz Yisrael
Many tens of thousands come to the Kosel
Hamaravi on Chol Hamoed for birchos
kohanim. Many times one davens in shul
shacharis and mussaf and had birchos kohanim
and then come to the Kosel Hamaravi and get

Birchos Kohanim, at mussaf again, and some
question the permissibilty of this practice.
Yom Kippur
There are some places which have the custom
to duchan at Shacharis on Yom Kippur as well
as Ne’eilah. Even though the kohan should be
happy when they duchan, Yom Kippur is not
a reason to refrain from duchaning because of
the Yom Tov, since we should be joyous that
we are meriting mechilah from our sins.
Rosh Hashanah
The custom is to duchan on Rosh Hashanah at
Mussaf in and out of Eretz Yisrael.
Hoshanah Rabbah
Some have the custom to duchan at Mussaf
on Hoshanah Rabbah.
Yom Tov Which Falls on Shabbos
There are some places which do not duchan
when Yom Tov falls on Shabbos but the
custom is not like this. Some mention perhaps
it is due to the fact that we recite the Ribbono
Shel Olam during duchaning and it should
mot be recited on Shabbos due the fact that we
do not ask for personal requests on Shabbos.
Simchas Torah
The custom is to duchan on Simchas Torah at
Shacharis and not Mussaf, since the concern
is the kohanim will drink and become unable
to duchan. While some quote the practice of
some is to duchan at mussaf, this is not the
overwhelming custom.
There are those who feel it is proper to daven
straight Shacharis, and Mussaf and duchan at
Mussaf.
The above reason not to duchan at mussaf is
only one reason. There are other reasons as
well as why the practice of many is not to
duchan at mussaf. The Mishmeres Shalom
mentions since laining on Simchas Torah we
read about the brachah which Moshe gave to
the entire Klal Yisrael, and since all of Klal
Yisrael as bentched by him there is no need
for Birchos Kohanim after that so we do it
before at shacharis. The Sefer Haminhagim
mentions the reason is because there was a
custom that fruits were bought and through to
the children on Simchas Torah and there was
joy involved and they did not have the mind
set to duchan after wards at mussaf.
Eretz Yisrael Travelers Have Their Own
Minyan
Some mention if people from Eretz Yisrael
travel outside with their own minyan they
may duchan at their minyan as long as it is an
exclusive minyan.